The World Health Organization PNG recently hosted a two- day consultative workshop on the 23rd of March along with key stakeholders and partners.
This was part of a process to develop the Country Cooperation strategy (CCS) for PNG for the next five-years (2024-2028).
This follows on from one-on-one consultative meetings which was held recently with the National Department of Health, key development partners, donors and relevant UN agencies who work closely with WHO to help achieve the country’s health agendas.
In opening the workshop, WHO PNG Country Representative, Dr. Sevil Huseynova, said the country cooperation strategy is; WHO’s strategic framework to guide the organization’s work with a country.
“The WHO CCS responds to the country’s National Health and Development Agenda and identifies a set of agreed joint priorities for WHO collaboration, covering those areas where the Organization has a comparative advantage in order to assure the impact on public.”
“The National Health Plan is certainly a key basis for identification of CCS priorities.”
The two-day workshop was a wider group consultation process which allowed for all partners to build consensus, ownership and agree on more than three top priorities for PNG. NGOs, CSO’s and faith-based organizations were also invited to attend to provide valuable insight and feedback on priority areas.
Dr. Huseynova further stated that WHO CCS would also outline how it would contribute to the attainment of outcomes in a United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) being developed for PNG, which frames the new partnership between the UN and the Government of PNG.
The session had key technical officers and program leads from WHO who covered areas on Health Systems, Family Health and Social Determinants of Health, Non-Communicable disease and Mental Health, Communicable Diseases, Health emergencies, Climate change and environment.
They presented based on the key achievements, challenges, lessons and also recommendations for the next five years.
In addition, group sessions were also held to discuss thematic area priorities, where the findings were presented.
These will set the strategic agenda for WHOs cooperation with the government of PNG. Meanwhile, Secretary for Health Dr. Osbourne Liko said he was happy to support the process and through the consultative meetings, was confident that the CCS will align very well with the National Health plan in delivering health services to the people.